Available as a Single Volume
Volume 25: Microcontrollers and Arduino
Give your gadgets a brain! Previously out of reach for the do-it-yourselfer, the tiny computers called microcontrollers are now so cheap and easy to use that anyone can make their stuff smart. It's called "physical computing" -- with a microcontroller, your gadget can sense the environment, talk to the internet or other gadgets, and make things happen in the real world by controlling motors, lights, or any electronic device. The Arduino is an easy-to-use microcontroller board -- it's like an R&D lab on your kitchen table for prototyping any gadget. We show you how to make one, and how to use Arduinos and other microcontrollers to make an automatic yogurt maker, a vintage Skype telephone, a gumball machine that recognizes your secret knock, and more. Plus, make a Helicopter Rocket, portable solar power pack, gourmet Sous Vide food cooker, treadmill desk, and more fun DIY projects.
View a list of all links referenced in this volume
Table of Contents
The Little Engine That Could by Dale Dougherty
in Welcome
An Arduino board is cheap enough that you wouldn't feel bad breaking it, burning it up, or leaving it behind in a project. Page 10
The MakerShield by Dan Woods
in In the Maker Shed
The ultimate open source prototyping shield for Arduino and Netduino microcontrollers. Page 11
Reader Input
in Reader Input
Jailbreak catch-22, kids love robots, ladder logic, and space zillionaires. Page 12
The Art of Productive Procrastination by Saul Griffith
in Making Trouble
Flip between two projects to prevent focus fatigue. Page 13
Maker's Calendar by William Gurstelle
in Maker's Calendar
Our favorite events from around the world. Page 15
Untouched by Human Hands by Cory Doctorow
in Make Free
Is there a boardroom somewhere trying to figure out how to make your next Happy Meal toy, laptop, or Ikea table look like it was handmade by a MAKE reader? Page 16
Toothpick Artistry by Bruce Stewart
in Made on Earth
Using just small hand tools, enormous patience, and lots of toothpicks, Steven J. Backman creates amazingly intricate works of art. Page 18
Quickup Camper by Jon Kalish
in Made on Earth
Jay Baldwin has designed and built a prototype for what he calls the Quickup Camper, a collapsible camper top that transforms a standard-sized pickup truck into a fuel-efficient, highly maneuverable recreational vehicle. Page 20
Invisible Sculpture by Thomas Walker Wilson
in Made on Earth
Artist Michel de Broin affixed pieces of mirror to a rock, maintaining its contours, until the rock's surface was entirely covered in mirrors. Page 21
Tools of Artistry by Arwen O'Reilly Griffith
in Made on Earth
Chris Bathgate's intricate sculptures showcase the perfection of metal and the nuts and bolts of machining. Page 22
Biker Laundry by Shawn Connally
in Made on Earth
John Wells' Bike-O-Worsher works just like any washing machine - you pedal forward for the agitation and pedal backwards for the spin cycle. Page 23
Backyard in Motion by Laura Kiniry
in Made on Earth
Retired mechanical contractor Bill McHugh has spent more than 40 years creating fun kinetic sculptures that run on air, sun, water, birds, and most typically, squirrels. Page 24
Cinema with Sol by Jerry James Stone
in Made on Earth
A tiny, solar-powered cinema is making its way across Europe, promising patrons an intimate movie-viewing experience and red-carpet treatment. Page 25
Capturing and Studying Airborne Dust, Smoke, and Spores by Forrest Mims III
in Country Scientist
In this column we'll experiment with the simplest air samplers, those that rely on gravity or wind to deposit particles in the air onto adhesive tape or a bare microscope slide. Page 26
The Computer with 1,000 Faces by Gareth Branwyn
in Tales from the Web
Here are a few cool Arduino projects of staggering diversity from Make: Online. Page 29
Code 72 by Lee D. Zlotoff
in Maker
Meet the real-life MacGyvers who engineer life-or-death solutions while the clock ticks. Page 30
Things of Science by Bob Knetzger
in Maker
Miniature monthly science surprises! Page 36
Urban Survival Button by Cy Tymony
in 123
Prepare yourself by making a Sneaky Button Survival Kit, which contains practical items you can use to protect yourself in urban situations. Page 40
Getting Started with Microcontrollers by Tom Igoe
Choose the right controller for your project and your skill level. Page 42
Vintage VoIP by Andrew Lewis
Convert a classic 1930s telephone into a Skype phone. Page 46
Drag-n-Drop Arduino Programming by Ed Baafi
Modkit makes microcontrollers easy for kids and anyone else. Page 52
Yobot: Precision Fermentation by Chris Reilly
Build your own smart yogurt maker. Page 57
Primer: Make and Use an Arduino by Dale Wheat
Build and program a microcontroller clone with no soldering. Page 62
Get in the Game by Tom Igoe
Make all kinds of game controllers using an accelerometer or other sensors. Page 71
Micromania
Everything Arduino: Resources, kids and parts, cool projects and people.
Swinging in the Rain
iPhone LED Suit
The Uberhoop
Foiled Again!
40 Top Projects
Mega Claw Grabs a Prize
Flying Wi-Fi Sniffer
Blu Robotics Kits
A Shield for That
Retro Gaming Future
TickTack3
Say You Want A Revolution
A-Blocks
Simon Says Solder
Ethernet Power
MAKE's Essential Arduino Site
Crash Course
The Cheat Sheet
The 1-Minute Microcontroller Page 74
PET Bottle Purse by Zitta Schnitt
in 123
Build a cool purse out of the bottoms of 2 PET bottles and a zipper. Page 80
$5 HeliRocket by Doug Desrochers
Use toilet paper tubes, coat hangers, and rubber bands to build a high-flying model rocket that transforms into a helicopter midflight, then spins dramatically back down to Earth. Page 82
Secret Knock Gumball Machine by Steve Hoefer
Make a cute candy vending machine that only dispenses treats when you knock the secret rhythm on its front panel. Page 92
Sous Vide Immersion Cooker by Scott Heimendinger
I'm fascinated by sous vide cooking, in which foods vacuum-sealed in plastic are immersed in a precisely temperature-controlled hot water bath to achieve optimal doneness. Page 104
Holography by Frank DeFreitas
in Skill Builder
Capture magical 3D images without a camera. Page 116
Your Own Honey Cow by Abe Connally
in DIY: Outdoors
Make a simple beehive and enjoy the sweet fruits of your labor. Page 123
Making a Cage Trap by William Gurstelle
in DIY: Outdoors
Catch pesky animals humanely with a homemade slammer. Page 126
Laser Pointer Printer by James Underwood, Leland Sindt
in DIY: Imaging
A scanning laser "paints" on photo paper. Page 129
LED Paper Cutter Assist by Larry Cotton
in DIY: Office
Modify an el-cheapo paper cutter to make it way more accurate. Page 133
Giant Spin Art by Pete Goldstein, Bob Goldstein
in DIY: Toys
Spin canvases at high speed and drop paint on them. Page 136
Solar TV Remote by Sparkle Labs
in DIY: Home
Juice your flipper with sunlight. Page 138
Faux Flames by William Gurstelle
in DIY: Workshop
Make realistic fake fire, using fabric, a fan, and some LEDs. Page 140
Scrabble by Tom Parker
in Make Money
Sometimes it costs more to buy it than to make it from the money itself. Page 143
Reverse Geocache Puzzle Box by Mikal Hart
in Build Notes
This locked gift box guides recipients to the only place on Earth where it will open. Page 144
A Trippy Crystal Nightlight by Charles Platt
in Electronics: Fun and Fundamentals
Create any color, using 3 LEDs and the trick of pulse-width modulation. Page 148
Zombie Attack! by Lee D. Zlotoff
in MakeShift
Battle your way through brain-hungry zombies to arrive - bite free - to a secure school two miles away. Page 152
I made it. I can fix it. by Saul Griffith
in Howtoons
The motto for the next generation of makers! Page 154
Toolbox
in Toolbox
Build a village, clock your speed, wear sunglasses at night, craft a canoe, and geek out your garb. Page 156
Eureka! by Roy Doty
in Eureka!
Use your maker skills to ensure that your reserved parking spot remains yours alone. Page 158
Amazing Maker Marble Maze by Bob Knetzger
in Toy Inventor's Notebook
Page 164
Lick a 9-Volt Battery by Julie Spiegler, Gever Tulley
in Dangerous Things
Taste electricity. Page 166
Carve Inscriptions in Stone by Tim Anderson
in Heirloom Technology
Send a message to eternity. Page 168
The Chinese Windlass by William Gurstelle
in Remaking History
British soldiers, encamped on the outskirts of Beijing after the war, took note of an ingenious device being used to raise and lower drawbridges. Page 170
My Own Visible Computer by Kevin Quiggle
in Homebrew
For my most recent PC build, I wanted to show the working parts as much as possible. Page 176
MAKE: Amends Errata for this volume.
| Where it appears | Primer: Make and Use an Arduino, Page 65 |
| The error | The second paragraph on page 65 should read: "To connect the chip to power and ground, jumper [...] J-7 to right ground, and J-9 to right power (Figure G)." The print version had power and ground reversed for pins J-7 and J-9. Figure G is correct. |
| Where it appears | Secret Knock Gumball Machine, Page 95 |
| The error | Secret-Knock Gumball Machine" (MAKE 25), on page 95, the part number listed for the clear plastic globe from 1000bulbs.com was incorrect and should have read #3202-08020. |
| Where it appears | Sous Vide Immersion Cooker, Page 107 |
| The error | In Volume 25s Sous Vide Immersion Cooker, page 107, we listed the wrong clear acrylic box from Amazon. The correct part number is #B000NE9VJE. |
| Where it appears | The Chinese Windlass, Page 171 |
| The error | Volume 26's Make Amends incorrectly corrected the equation values in Volume 25's Remaking History. Aargh! The crank length (a radius) is 6" as originally stated, but the radius of the large barrel is 1.5". The value of the expression is therefore 96, not 48. |
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